


the lone neon lights (and the ache of the ocean)

by fandomnerd



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Episode Tag: s03e02 Goodbyes Sure Do Suck, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29127000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomnerd/pseuds/fandomnerd
Summary: Hope isn't exactly having the best day. She calls the one person who always manages to calm her down. (post-ep for 3x02)
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 6
Kudos: 187





	the lone neon lights (and the ache of the ocean)

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is 1000% self-indulgent and i wrote it in like 2 hours, because i watched this episode and _really_ needed a) for someone to tell josie what had happened, and b) for hope and josie to have any sort of conversation about their feelings in a post-2x16 world
> 
> title from "new york" by snow patrol

Hope needed to wolf out, and she needed it _badly_.

Restlessness was a familiar foe, the need for the freedom and power of the shift a constant buzzing under her skin. At this point she could hardly remember a time in her life when the power contained in her body hadn’t been an ever-present itch, when she hadn’t craved release like other students craved their own…well, _release_.

By now she knew how to mitigate it most of the time, expending energy on smaller spells throughout the day to take the edge off. It wasn’t the same, but it kept her from tearing at her skin—or worse, making impulsive decisions like the ones she’d made during the worst year of her life. But then there were times where only transforming into her wolf and taking off, reveling in her speed and strength and lack of responsibilities, would satisfy her. Times like during the full moon…or when she was feeling especially strong emotions.

Emotions, for example, like losing one of her best friends followed immediately by a potentially relationship-ending fight with her boyfriend, all while still feeling _off_ after having been woken from her magical coma just days before.

Yeah, she wasn’t exactly having the best day ever.

But Dr. Saltzman wasn’t around to give her permission to wolf out or to keep other students out of her way, and as much as she needed it, it wasn’t worth putting the other students in danger.

So she did the next best thing. She didn’t even think to second-guess the decision until she was listening to the phone ring and trying to remember exactly what the time difference was between Mystic Falls and Paris.

She was about to hang up, embarrassment and nerves and a whole slew of emotions she didn’t have the time or mental energy to try and unpack bubbling up in her stomach, when the decision was made for her.

“Hello? Hope?” Josie’s voice was rough with sleep, and she punctuated the greeting with a yawn. The sound made something in Hope utterly melt, the tension in her frame finally relaxing for the first time in days.

“Hey Jo. Sorry, did I wake you?” She _was_ sorry—Josie needed some proper rest and relaxation more than just about anyone Hope knew—but couldn’t bring herself to regret the decision.

“No, no, don’t worry about it. The sun’s already out here, I would have been up soon anyway. What’s going on?”

Hope swallowed, suddenly at a loss for words about how to explain…well, _anything_ that had happened today. “Um, how much do you already know? Have you talked to Lizzie?”

“No, why? Did something happen? Another monster?” Hope winced as Josie’s voice grew increasingly panicked.

“Not a monster! Or, um, not a new one, anyway. Long story short, to save Raf’s life we kind of…put him in a prison world. With his parents.”

There was a long pause as Josie digested that, Hope feeling sick to her stomach as it sunk in that none of them had even thought to call Josie beforehand and give her a chance to say goodbye.

“Oh.”

“I’m so sorry, Jo, things were so intense, and the solution was so last-minute…if I’d had even a minute to stop and think I’d have called you. I know you were friends, and I—”

“Hope, you don’t have to apologize. I get it. Here, wait a sec—”

From Josie’s end came some muffled rustling and bitten-off expletives. Hope arched an eyebrow in confusion, but the reason materialized a moment later: magically holographic Josie, clutching a crystal, sitting on Hope’s bed.

Hope absentmindedly ended the call, eyes fixed on Josie. “I thought you shut away your magic?”

Josie offered a sheepish smile. “I did. Lizzie enchanted this for me, so anyone could use it. The downside is that it’s got a limited amount of juice, and I was _supposed_ to save it for checking in with her, but…this felt more important. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

That didn’t exactly sound like the Lizzie Hope knew, but frankly she wasn’t in the mood to question it. Not with Josie sitting there in front of her, safe and whole and not remotely possessed by black magic. And, it had to be said, looking absolutely adorable in her pajamas.

Gingerly, she took a seat beside Josie on the bed. “If you say so. Anyway, that’s basically the big news here. But I promise, Raf is totally okay, just…in the prison world. So you can totally visit when you get back.”

Josie smiled sadly, shaking her head. “I don’t exactly have a great track record with prison worlds.”

 _Oh, shit._ “Right. Yes. I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was—"

“It’s fine, Hope, don’t worry about it. Honestly, it’s enough to know that he’s okay. I might just write a letter to him or something that someone can pass along once I get back.”

“That sounds like a good idea. But what about you? How’s the one-on-one time with your mom?”

Hope had expected Josie to light up in one of her signature full-face grins, the ones that still made Hope's stomach go all fluttery despite her best efforts. Instead, she offered a smaller smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Oh, you know. She feels guilty, I guess, and she’s walking on eggshells around me.” She let out a long, slow breath. “I mean, I’m happy to have the quality time with her, but it feels so…I don’t know. Forced? I just keep feeling guilty for taking up her time, which I know is stupid, but…”

Hope was reaching for Josie’s hand before she even consciously made a choice to do so. “Hey, it’s not stupid. I get it. You’ve spent your whole life putting everyone else first, so asking for what you want is bound to feel a little weird.” She locked eyes with Josie, rubbing her thumb across Josie’s knuckles, wishing desperately that Josie were here in person so she could feel her warmth. Hear the steady thrum of her heartbeat. “But Jo, your mom loves you. I’m sure she’s thrilled to get this one-on-one time with you, and that all she wants is to help give you what you need.”

“I know that logically. It just feels really selfish, like I’m getting rewarded when I should be being punished. Like I’m running away from what I did.”

“You’re not. You don’t deserve to be punished, and you needing to get some space and take some time to take care of yourself isn’t running away.” When Josie still didn’t look convinced, she squeezed her hand, putting her other hand on Josie’s shoulder. “Trust me.”

“Thanks for saying that, Hope, and I do trust you, but…” She sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t know. This isn’t working as well as I’d hoped. I keep missing school, wondering what’s going on and how I’m supposed to make up for anything I did when I’m on the other side of the world. Plus…I miss everyone. I miss _you_.”

Hope’s heart thudded hard in her chest, the echo of the words she’d spoken to Josie months ago resonating in her and filling all the empty loneliness in her like sunlight, until she felt nearly bursting with warmth. Feeling daring, she moved to tangle her fingers with Josie’s, and was gratified when Josie flipped her hand to do the same. “I miss you too. Things have been kinda crazy around here, and while Lizzie and I aren’t at each other’s throats anymore, you’re the only one I can talk to like this.”

Her eyebrows took on that familiar furrow, soft brown eyes wide with concern. “What about Landon? I would’ve thought you could talk to him…”

That was the _last_ thing Hope wanted to think about. Already, the unpleasant feelings were trying to claw their way back in, interrupting the first moment of real peace she’d had since before the twins had been sent to the prison world. “Can we not talk about Landon? Please?”

The concern on Josie’s face grew stronger at that, but she nodded slowly. “Of course.” She bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth. Hope tried and failed not to imagine how it would feel to be the one to bite that perfect lip. “—Actually, I should probably go soon. Mom’s going to come check on me any minute now.”

Hope’s heart plummeted, her mood souring in an instant. “Oh. Of course.”

“But I’ll see you soon, okay? I’m going to talk to my mom about coming back.”

“What? Jo, no, you don’t have to do that—”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to.” She let go of Hope’s hand, only to pull her into a hug. It wasn’t nearly satisfying enough without Josie’s warmth, without her scent, without the softness of her hair brushing Hope’s cheek. “I swear. I’ll be back before you have a chance to miss me.”

She vanished before Hope could respond, arms hanging in the empty air. She dropped them slowly to her sides, her former restlessness already starting to come back in Josie’s absence.

“…Too late.”


End file.
